Muriate of Potash 35 



chlorid from potash compounds present in 

 the hmestone and sihcates used in their 

 manufacture. The material is very fine and 

 would be lost as '' smoke " if the particles 

 were not charged ^\dth electricity and then 

 caused to deposit on strong electrically 

 charged plates in the Cottrell process of 

 electrical precipitation. 



Searles Lake in the California desert con- 

 tains over 12 square miles of a crystal de- 

 posit 70 feet thick. These crystals are 

 surrounded by a saturated brine carrying 

 about 5 per cent of potassium chlorid. The 

 brine contains two bases, sodium and potas- 

 sium; and four acids, chlorides, sulfates, 

 borates and carbonates. Potassium chlorid 

 and borax are the products of this industry. 

 It is calculated that there are 30 million 

 tons of potash in this region which in itself 

 is sufficient to supply the needs of America 

 for 25 or more years. 



The work outlined in this exercise deals 

 with double salts occasiond by the presence 

 of magnesium when the magnesium is absent, 

 as in most of the American deposits, the 

 process of crystalUzation is much simphfied. 



The size of the crystal generally varies 

 with the rapidity with which it forms. If 

 the salt forms quickly, the crystals are small; 

 if more slowly, the crystals are larger. 



